RECIPE: PALEO-M-F-G Chocolate Cupcakes

Okay, I’m not going to lie and tell you that this is a healthy recipe. But I will tell you that it’s probably the healthiest (and most obscenely delicious) version of a chocolate cupcake you’ll ever try, thanks to all the good-for-you ingredients (high-fiber coconut flour! Raw cacao powder!) and absence of crap (refined flour and sugar!). It’s also Whole Life Challenge Advanced Level Compliant (and Paleo, for those of you in that camp). The recipe is essentially a modified version of my fabulous teammate Xen Buchanan’s Clean Banana Nut Muffins, which I blogged about during the last challenge. You simply replace the cinnamon and nutmeg with a heaping dose of cacao powder and wind up with what amounts to a decadent chocolate-walnut muffin (the walnuts are of course optional). To kick it up a notch and make it a seriously over-the-top dessert, I mixed up a batch of the Rawtarian chocolate frosting that I recommended in my Chocolate Fudge recipe a while back.

Worth noting: If you don't use the frosting, and just make these as chocolate muffins, the fat and calories will be considerably lower. Also, in my experience, the frosting is a major PIA to make (at least it is with my blender—not sure if a food processor would be easier or not). You might want to double the batch (as The Rawtarian does) to make it easier. Or try soaking the dates for a while. If you don't have time to soak the dates, it’s tough to break them down into a creamy texture, so once I’ve gotten it reasonably well blended, I force the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve, scraping it off the other side as I go. Like I said, it’s kind of a pain, but the result is the richest chocolate frosting you’ve ever tasted. It’s honestly hard to believe it doesn’t have any dairy or any refined sugar.

Obviously you shouldn’t be eating these kinds of treats on a regular basis, but if you want to stay compliant on special occasions, I cannot recommend these cupcakes highly enough. Please let me know how they turn out if you decide to give the recipe a try!

PALEO-M-F-G Chocolate Cupcakes

(printable recipe)

Serves 9

For the cupcakes:
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

3 eggs

2 ripe bananas

6 pitted dates (or 3-4 large Medjool dates)

3/8 cup raw cacao powder

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For the frosting:

12 pitted dates (or 6 large Medjool dates)

1/8 cup coconut oil (no need to melt)

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

2-3 oz. water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place 9 cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffin tin.

3. Puree the coconut oil, eggs, bananas, dates and cacao powder in a blender until smooth.

4. Add all remaining cupcake ingredients and blend again until smooth. (You can also wait to add in the nuts if you’re using them and want more of a walnut brownie-like cupcake.)

5. Fill cupcake liners almost all the way to the top and bake for 20-25 minutes.

6. While cupcakes are baking, prepare the frosting by mixing all ingredients together in a blender. (Note: You will need to scrape the sides often.) To achieve a creamier texture, you may need to press through a medium-mesh sieve.

7. Frost cupcakes after they’ve cooled and enjoy!

                                                      

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per cupcake):
337 calories; 24.9 g fat (16.5 g saturated); 73 mg cholesterol; 138 mg sodium; 240 mg Potassium; 31.6 g carbohydrates; 8.2 g fiber; 15.7 g sugar; 4.4 g protein; Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 4%; Calcium 2%; Iron 36%